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Yuki
9 months ago
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Mastering the Island Hopping Strategy

🧳 Itinerary: This trip spans six days and five nights, focusing on hiking, leisure, and wildlife observation, so we did not stop in the capital, San José. Upon arrival, our first stop was the Starbucks coffee farm (Hacienda Alsacia Starbucks), the only Starbucks-designated coffee estate open to the public worldwide, which can be reserved on the official website for $30 per person. The second stop was the La Fortuna area, where we stayed for two days. Main activities included sloth tours (recommend Sloth Territory, bookable on their official website). Night rainforest tours (Night Walk, booked directly from the hotel for $70 per person, saw a plethora of wildlife), Celeste River (Río Celeste, a river rich in minerals that appears sky blue), Arenal Volcano (Volcán Arenal), and the thermal river (Río Thermal, where river water is heated by volcanic lava to form natural hot springs), as well as wildlife sanctuaries. The third stop was the MonteVerde area for a day, hiking in the Cloudy Forest, the highest-altitude region in the country with misty, almost fairy-tale-like conditions. Note that road conditions are very poor, so drive carefully. The final stop was the Papagayo Peninsula (península papagayo). Located on the Pacific coast, this peninsula has a humid and warm climate, with various international first-class brand hotels along the bays, making it an excellent choice for relaxation. 👔 Clothing: In August, Costa Rica enters its rainy and winter season with significant temperature differences between day and night, especially when hiking in the jungle, it is necessary to protect against mosquito bites. In addition to casual clothes, it is recommended to bring waterproof outdoor gear (long sleeves and pants), swimsuits (for hot springs), mosquito repellent, and sunscreen. 🏨 Accommodation: Costa Rica's hotel industry is very developed, and service staff can all speak fluent English, so there is no need to worry even if you do not speak Spanish. Recommended hotels in the La Fortuna area include Tabacón Hot Springs Hotel (hard to book), Amor Arenal (very nice), and Baldi. Hotels in the Papagayo area generally will not disappoint; based on personal budget, our larger group chose the Papagayo Four Seasons. 🚴 Transportation: We chose to rent a car for this trip. The guide mentioned that there are many tricks when renting a car in Costa Rica. My advice is to choose a reputable car rental company (we chose Alamo) and definitely rent a 4WD. A Suzuki 4WD for six days, including all fees, cost about $600, comparable to prices in the United States. 📓 Other: SIM cards with data packages can be purchased at the Claro operator store at the airport ($35 for a week, covering most areas). The cost of living in Costa Rica is on par with the United States, far exceeding other Central American countries, with average restaurant costs per person ranging from $30-50, and park admission prices are similar. #TravelAbroad #IslandHopping #CostaRica #Hiking #Tourism #Relaxation #Volcano #Photography #Portrait #OverseasLife

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